TIGHTCHOKE Posted March 29 Report Share Posted March 29 Three of us met just before 10 this morning and planned to shoot some Wood Pigeons in the Fens. We looked at what seemed to be the best options and two of us set up together with a large farm shed as our backstop against the wind and the expected rain. We had a strong breeze from the SSW, at least we hope the possible showers should push through quickly. Up with a hide for two and all of our decoys out on newly drilled Spring Wheat. The birds came in nicely once the woman who was shouting at us to stop from across the river caused a lot of the birds to come closer and they were getting shot. She called us all sorts of names and topped it off with ******* Psychopaths. She appeared to be filming us on her phone and then we heard her shouting "they're over here". We unloaded and walked round the farm building to see two Police Officers, one male and one female. We said "good morning" and I asked "did they have to attend because they had a call." They said that they had and we told them that we had permission and both had SGC's. They took our names and confirmed everything was in order, wished us a pleasant days shooting and set off to speak to the woman who had called them out. Between us we shot over 40 WPs and apart from a couple of short showers, had a lovely day out in the English countryside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flippermaj Posted March 29 Report Share Posted March 29 Nice write up😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted March 29 Report Share Posted March 29 Nice result, despite the 'interuptions' 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted March 29 Author Report Share Posted March 29 Just now, JKD said: Nice result, despite the 'interuptions' 🙂 Quite happy to chat to reasonable Police Officers especially as they set off to see the fool who had wasted their time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted March 29 Report Share Posted March 29 nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted March 29 Report Share Posted March 29 A good report of an honest days shooting interrupted by a so called do gooder who has succeeded to waste valuable police time. If you are shooting from the back of a farm the occupants of the farm would soon challenge you if you were not authorised to be present. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Boggy Posted March 29 Report Share Posted March 29 (edited) Well done Dave. That’s a good bag these days on drilling especially with modern drills leaving very little on the surface giving a small window of opportunity. OB Edited March 30 by Old Boggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holloway Posted March 29 Report Share Posted March 29 Nice to see some good old fashioned common sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted March 30 Author Report Share Posted March 30 8 hours ago, Old Boggy said: We’ll done Dave. That’s a good bag these days on drilling especially with modern drills leaving very little on the surface giving a small window of opportunity. OB In all the time that I was either setting decoys or recovering birds I saw ONLY one grain of Spring Wheat on the surface. Modern drilling techniques leave very little for the WPs, we watched and worked out where the flight line was and more importantly where they WANTED to be. We set up a large pattern of decoys and got some good sport, sorry CROP PROTECTION. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted March 30 Report Share Posted March 30 I drove to past a field the other day that must have only just been 'seeded', and it was absolutely SMOTHERED in wood pigeons,,,, I'm guessing 4-5 thousand, maybe more 😯 Mostly on the ground, but many more in the surrounding trees and flying around looking for a clear spot to land 😀 An incredible sight that I've never seen before 🙃 These were definitely where they WANTED to be 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted March 30 Author Report Share Posted March 30 And did you go looking for the Farmer to gain permission? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted March 30 Report Share Posted March 30 2 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said: And did you go looking for the Farmer to gain permission? Too far from home 😔 It was just east of Dover, edge of Ringwould. Field size approx 40-50 acres. Amazing sight 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted March 30 Report Share Posted March 30 I would obtain the incident number from the Police. You may use it to your advantage should a similar incident occur in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigbob Posted March 30 Report Share Posted March 30 Shame the police have to waste time attending these crank calls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted March 30 Author Report Share Posted March 30 53 minutes ago, JDog said: I would obtain the incident number from the Police. You may use it to your advantage should a similar incident occur in the future. Good point, I will enquire later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted March 30 Report Share Posted March 30 Nice bag of Pigeons T C , the Pigeons could have been eating the bit and pieces from the previous crop that were pulled about while the drill was doing it's work and not the odd grain that was left behind These call outs to the police seem even more regular nowadays than in the past , this could be because the countryside is shrinking and houses are going up where we once shot Pigeons , touch wood I have only ever had one visit from the law and that was because the gun fire was upsetting the ladies horses , when the village policeman came and gave me a look he recon I was getting on for 300yds away from her stables and told me to carry on as I was shooting over laid barley , the estate rang her up afterwards and told her , either she put up with me going the odd day or they will have to put a gas gun on seven days a week , needless to say we didn't hear no more . MM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted March 30 Author Report Share Posted March 30 I have come to simple agreements with horsey people in the past. I give them my mobile number and ask them to ring me when saddling up. I will then stop for 10 minutes as they pass by and then they ring again after their hack and I stop again. Both parties happy, nobody thrown from their mount. It really is NOT difficult to accommodate both sports in the countryside. It's just the BLOODY NIMBY's that need to think first........................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted March 30 Report Share Posted March 30 (edited) Trouble is nowadays is we seem to be nearer to the public than ever , it's not everyone idea of sport of watching Pigeons or whatever being enticed into a set of life like decoys with often having a flapper and a magnet to keep them company , they don't know the ins and out of the law and all they are concerned about is seeing birds shot and not all of them are not always dead when they hit the deck , I don't think there is an easy answer to avoid it , we often get someone on the forum asking how close can you shoot near houses , I would say avoid them at all costs , it is just not worth the hassle that you are likely to get . MM Edited March 30 by marsh man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted March 30 Author Report Share Posted March 30 I disagree, if we just stop what we have been doing for years it is limiting us rather than educating the NIMBY's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted March 30 Report Share Posted March 30 4 hours ago, TIGHTCHOKE said: I disagree, if we just stop what we have been doing for years it is limiting us rather than educating the NIMBY's. No I didn't say stop what we have been doing for years , I would say just be more selective where you shoot , if you are anywhere near housing estates then you would be lucky to avoid a visit from the law , any shot carried on the wind and pita , pater on someones greenhouse or tin roof and there would be a good chance you could lose your s g c , no good telling the police you were 150 / 200 yds away when a member of the public state you were shooting towards there house , I know this is fact as a mate of mine whose living is a market gardener fired his gun at some Pigeons that were getting into some of his young plants on his own land , he didn't think no more of it until a armed response team arrived at his house and told him to lay on the floor , they took all his guns away and a forensic team checked the wall of the persons house who reported him , they took him to the police station and kept him in overnight and as far as I know they didn't find any shot marks on the persons walls and he haven't got his guns back . MM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted March 30 Author Report Share Posted March 30 Thankfully Cambridge Police seem far more sensible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sussex_foxing Posted April 1 Report Share Posted April 1 Sounds like you handled it perfectly! I always like to stop and answer questions when approached by walkers, you can’t win them all but you can try! You can explain it to them, but you can’t always understand it for them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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